More Bus Moves

[BusHunter]

Yesterday I spotted #1599 on the #21. #1599 -#1603 odds were at 74th the last time I looked. #1603 was also out on the #10 yesterday.

[Buslover88]

Weird question, but does the Clever Device inform the driver that he or she is off course (in addition to plus or minus the schedule)?

I would think that it does. If it doesn't, it should.

Yes, everyone, I am back.

[jacksone44]

could this be a sign that a trade between 103 and NP could be going on?

Was thinking the same thing. I rode 4113 on the 147 this morning, and 1314 was on run P009 on the 151.

[jajuan]

So a number of us have been seeing some interesting goings on this weekend and this morning with a few buses previously at 103rd showing up on Kedzie and NP routes along with 1314 operating as a North Park run instead of a 77th supplemental on 151 as I spotted 1281 doing on Friday morning. It's hard to picture Kedzie needing a few loans since even after Feb. 7th it's over capacity and can usually spare loaners elsewhere. Having a couple of owl routes again only slightly alleviates that capacity issue and I still spot buses parked outside the bay doors at times.

[nflyer22]

So a number of us have been seeing some interesting goings on this weekend and this morning with a few buses previously at 103rd showing up on Kedzie and NP routes along with 1314 operating as a North Park run instead of a 77th supplemental on 151 as I spotted 1281 doing on Friday morning. It's hard to picture Kedzie needing a few loans since even after Feb. 7th it's over capacity and can usually spare loaners elsewhere. Having a couple of owl routes again only slightly alleviates that capacity issue and I still spot buses parked outside the bay doors at times.

Here's a few more added into the mix: spotted 1601 on the #62 earlier this afternoon and 1315 on the #36 just a couple minutes ago, with both of them showing runs from Kedzie and North Park, respectively.

[New Flyer]

1599,1601,1603` were assigned to 74th as of 12/9/09

[wordguy]

The appearance of "foreign" buses on North Park routes isn't unusual as the CTA and the city gear up for The Taste of Chicago. Now that a lot of lakefront runs operate out of Kedzie, I'm guessing that they're receiving loaners for the same reason.

With the possible exception of 4051-4052, the loaners --- at least I'm assuming they're loaners --- will probably return to their home garages once the Taste is a wrap.

[cta5658]

on bus tracker, #1588 (from 74th) is on the #53 Pulaski at Pulaski/Belden

[ChicagoNova]

This afternoon while I was by Michigan & Congress, I spotted 74th's Nova #6656 on the #4 Cottage Grove southbound. The garage code read "6".

[dann]

This afternoon while I was by Michigan & Congress, I spotted 74th's Nova #6656 on the #4 Cottage Grove southbound. The garage code read "6".

And this morning I got on 74's #1594 on the eastbound #66 Chicago.

[sw4400]

I noticed on Bustracker #1299 operating Rt. #11 this afternoon. While I didn't see the bus to get the run number, and knowing that neither of the garages assigned(North Park or Forest Glen) have buses in this number range, which garage is this bus from?

[RJL6000]

I noticed on Bustracker #1299 operating Rt. #11 this afternoon. While I didn't see the bus to get the run number, and knowing that neither of the garages assigned(North Park or Forest Glen) have buses in this number range, which garage is this bus from?

77th (the last time I checked).

[RJL6000]

could this be a sign that a trade between 103 and NP could be going on?

Possibly.

Perhaps it's because 103rd does not need as many artics as it originally received after the February picks. In return, 103rd will likely receive a few 40-footers from both K and NP after the Fourth of July holiday passes.

[jajuan]

Perhaps it's because 103rd does not need as many artics as it originally received after the February picks. In return, 103rd will likely receive a few 40-footers from both K and NP after the Fourth of July holiday passes.

Maybe but wordguy's suggestion has some basis in history now that I think about it. The Taste is right around the corner, and there was a bit of mixing of 1000s last year at the same time for the reason he mentioned, to boost service on the Lakeshore routes the north side ones primarily operating out of Kedzie and North Park. And yes Kedzie does now operate more north side Lake Shore express routes this year over last with the increased sharing of routes. So I guess it would make sense that Kedzie would need a few loans to boost up its share of the expresses.

[busfan2847]

Perhaps it's because 103rd does not need as many artics as it originally received after the February picks. In return, 103rd will likely receive a few 40-footers from both K and NP after the Fourth of July holiday passes.

According to Andre Kristopans on the Chicagotransit Yahoo group the following buses got moved in preparation for the summer pick, which seems to include all the strange sitings in the last few days:-

"From 103rd to Forest Glen = 507-516 (10)

From 103rd to North Park = 4108-4115 (8)

From 103rd to Kedzie = 4051-4055 (5)

From 74th to Chicago = 1586-1595 (10)

From 74th to Kedzie = 1596-1597,1599,1601 & 1603 (5)

From Chicago to 74th = 1085-1087 (3)

From 77th to North Park = 1299-1317 (19)

From 77th to 74th = 6482-6484 (3)

From Forest Glen to Kedzie = 1188 (1)

A bit earlier (6/8) follwing gone. 209 Flx's remain in storage:

AFR Applied = 6010,6059,6073,6094,6097,6102,6132,6188,6207,6215,6248,6282,6290 &

6303 (14)

Moved out of Long term hold (OFF BUS ASSIGNMENT REPORT)

Andre"

[RJL6000]

According to Andre Kristopans on the Chicagotransit Yahoo group the following buses got moved in preparation for the summer pick, which seems to include all the strange sitings in the last few days:-

"From 103rd to Forest Glen = 507-516 (10)

From 103rd to North Park = 4108-4115 (8)

From 103rd to Kedzie = 4051-4055 (5)

From 74th to Chicago = 1586-1595 (10)

From 74th to Kedzie = 1596-1597,1599,1601 & 1603 (5)

From Chicago to 74th = 1085-1087 (3)

From 77th to North Park = 1299-1317 (19)

From 77th to 74th = 6482-6484 (3)

From Forest Glen to Kedzie = 1188 (1)

A bit earlier (6/8) follwing gone. 209 Flx's remain in storage:

AFR Applied = 6010,6059,6073,6094,6097,6102,6132,6188,6207,6215,6248,6282,6290 &

6303 (14)

Moved out of Long term hold (OFF BUS ASSIGNMENT REPORT)

Andre"

Yes. This confirms my findings on the artics (assuming that all 208 of them are still in service). Kedzie now has 56 artics while 103rd now has only 52 of them. NP now has 100 artics.

[New Flyer]

recheck the 74th to Kedzie those buses have been seen at 103rd

[busfan2847]

recheck the 74th to Kedzie those buses have been seen at 103rd

1603 is on 21 at present (and was on the 10 on Sunday), 1601 was seen on 62 on Monday, 1599 on the 21 on Sunday. These moves would have taken place this weekend as the start of the summer pick was Sunday.

[jajuan]

According to Andre Kristopans on the Chicagotransit Yahoo group the following buses got moved in preparation for the summer pick, which seems to include all the strange sitings in the last few days:-

"From 103rd to Forest Glen = 507-516 (10)

From 103rd to North Park = 4108-4115 (8)

From 103rd to Kedzie = 4051-4055 (5)

From 74th to Chicago = 1586-1595 (10)

From 74th to Kedzie = 1596-1597,1599,1601 & 1603 (5)

From Chicago to 74th = 1085-1087 (3)

From 77th to North Park = 1299-1317 (19)

From 77th to 74th = 6482-6484 (3)

From Forest Glen to Kedzie = 1188 (1)

A bit earlier (6/8) follwing gone. 209 Flx's remain in storage:

AFR Applied = 6010,6059,6073,6094,6097,6102,6132,6188,6207,6215,6248,6282,6290 &

6303 (14)

Moved out of Long term hold (OFF BUS ASSIGNMENT REPORT)

Andre"

I wonder what's going on beyond the Taste that North Park needs a net gain of 27 buses and Kedzie a net gain of 9 buses and 74th a net loss of 9 buses, 103rd a net loss of 13 buses and 77th a net loss of 22 buses according to this list.

1601 is on the 82 at this moment by the way, and already found a little snag in your list. 4108 is currently on the 6. Looks like 103rd sent artics beginning at 4109 instead since 4109 is on 147. So that's 12 buses 103rd sent out.

[RJL6000]

Also, as part of the Summer pick North Park lost at least three of its Novas (6689 to at least 6691) to 74th. 6688 was an earlier transfer from NP to 74th.

[cta5658]

Has 103rd Gained anything yet for the summer pick?

[busfan2847]

I wonder what's going on beyond the Taste that North Park needs a net gain of 27 buses and Kedzie a net gain of 9 buses and 74th a net loss of 9 buses, 103rd a net loss of 13 buses and 77th a net loss of 22 buses according to this list.

1601 is on the 82 at this moment by the way, and already found a little snag in your list. 4108 is currently on the 6. Looks like 103rd sent artics beginning at 4109 instead since 4109 is on 147. So that's 12 buses 103rd sent out.

I have just looked on bustracker and 4115 is on the 14 and 4113 is on 147 this morning!

[busfan2847]

Also, as part of the Summer pick North Park lost at least three of its Novas (6689 to at least 6691) to 74th. 6688 was an earlier transfer from NP to 74th.

The traffic priority tests on 49 were due to end in May 2010. Could the shift of Flyers from 77th to NP be to replace all 20 Novas that were at NP (6688-6707)?

Edited June 24, 2010 by busfan2847

[RJL6000]

The traffic priority tests on 49 were due to end in May 2010. Could the shift of Novas from 77th to NP be to replace all 20 Novas that were at NP (6688-6707)?

Nope. None of 77th's Novas were transferred to NP although three of them went from 77th to 74th. However, 19 of 77th's New Flyers were. Also, about 17 Novas remain at NP for the time being.

[artthouwill]

I wonder what's going on beyond the Taste that North Park needs a net gain of 27 buses and Kedzie a net gain of 9 buses and 74th a net loss of 9 buses, 103rd a net loss of 13 buses and 77th a net loss of 22 buses according to this list.

1601 is on the 82 at this moment by the way, and already found a little snag in your list. 4108 is currently on the 6. Looks like 103rd sent artics beginning at 4109 instead since 4109 is on 147. So that's 12 buses 103rd sent out.

Since I am not a CTA employee, all I can offer is speculation. Perhaps by Kedzie and NP gaining buses, it will eliminate some of the south side garages having to do north side runs, for example 77th runs on 62 and 143, or 103rd buses on 151, Even with the population "density" of the north side, I can't help but feel the south side is again getting the shaft. For the last couple of years 77th in particular has been losing runs and losing buses even though it is the 2nd largest garage in the system and has routes that rank among the heaviest used in the system (3,4, 79, 87 to name a few). It is almost as though they are now trying to make it an all Nova garage since the majority of the buses it keeps losing are NFs. I remember when its NF started around 1226 and went up to about 1317. Now it is losing more NFs and even with a net loss of buses total, it has gained Novas from NP (net gain of 5 Novas AFTER shifting 3 Novas to 74th). As a matter of fact ALL of the south side garages LOST buses. I guess we will have to see how the runs shake out and see if any routes shift garages.